THE FOLLOWING PRESENTATION IS ONE I HAVE

BEEN TRAINED TO DELIVER. I HAVE DONE SO

ON MANY OCCASIONS TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS,
CLUBS, AND OTHER AUDIENCES.

MARCUS CERVANTEZ
WHAT
Sex Trafficking Explained

HOW
How is it happening?

ACT
What can we do?
WHY THE NAME?
Backyard: Human Trafficking is
happening in our “Backyard”!
Broadcast: We need to “Broadcast” to
everyone we know to ensure our safety
and the safety in our communities!
Realities of Trafficking in
Utah
 DEFINITIONS
•Station Chief: Leader of Backyard Broadcast stations (clubs).
•Pimp: Slang for trafficker. A person who sells a human for sex acts.
•John: Slang for the person who buys a human for sex acts.
•Stable: A place where multiple victims of trafficking are kept.
•Grooming: The process through which a pimp picks a girl (or boy), earns
their trust then slowly eases them into trafficking.
•Branding: Tattooing done by traffickers to show ownership.
 OTHER TERMS TO
KNOW
•Trauma Bonding
•Victim Centered Approach
•Utah Safe Harbor Law
•Force, Fraud Coercion (as applied to human
trafficking)
 POP QUIZ Is this trafficking?
• 15 year old who lives with her aunt and uncle
• Doesn’t attend school because she needs to babysit her cousins
and take care of house
• Every time she tries to argue against it, her aunt and uncle don’t
feed her for 24 hours and force her to sleep on the ground
❑ YES

❑ NO
 CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING
IS;
The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a
person for the purpose of commercial sex act in which the person induced to
perform such act is under 18 years of age. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (2000)
Wilberforce Reauthorization Act

UTAH SAFE HARBOR IS;

The legal protection component provides immunity from prosecution for
certain types of offenses because the child was induced or compelled to
commit the offense or an established diversion program that affords a
means for charges to be dismissed if the child completes a specialized
services program. The Polaris Project (2015)
Human Trafficking Issue Brief
WHAT SEX TRAFFICKING
IS
•Selling of a minor for commercial sex.
•Selling of an adult for commercial sex using force fraud or
coercion.
•Force is making someone do something against their will.
•Fraud is making a promise to pay or give a better life but
not following through.
•Coercion means to threaten.
 WHAT LABOR
TRAFFICKING IS
•Labor trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in
which individuals perform labor or services through
the use of force, fraud, or coercion.
•In Utah, labor trafficking has been reported by
refugee and immigrants.
•Labor Trafficking is the most common type of
trafficking In Utah.
WHAT TRAFFICKING IS
NOT
•Prostitution
•Profitable (for the victim)
•Safe
•Trafficking does not mean moving a person.
Trafficking can involve selling a human in different
areas but a person does not have to be moved to be
“trafficked”.
 IT HAPPENS HERE
An estimate 100,000 American children are victims of commercial sex,
including sex trafficking, every year.
On average, kids are first victimized at age 13.

In 2015 an estimated 1 out of the 5 endangered runaways reported to

the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were likely child
sex trafficking victims. Utah has about 350 runaway every month.
More than half return home but many are on the streets engaging in
dangerous activity like survivor sex.
 THE UNFORTUNATE
TRUTH
The majority of Child Sex Trafficking is happening on the Internet.

Other places trafficking happens:

• Hostess clubs • Online adult classified (Backpage)
• Massage Parlors • Online escort services
• Strip Clubs • Sold by family members
• On the street • Residential brothels
 HIDDEN IN PLAIN
SIGHT
• Accompanied by a controlling person, boyfriend, family member, or boss
• Lack of emotional freedom
• Branding - scars (burns) or tattoos
• Medical malnourishment, bruises, other injuries
• Has to exchange sex for food, housing, drugs or money
• Does not have possession of legal/travel documents
• Limited knowledge of community
• Lives and works in same place
• Restricted or controlled communication
• Fear
 VULNERABILITY
The primary factor for vulnerability is the child’s
AGE.

Age is the primary factor of vulnerability. Pre-teen or adolescent girls are more susceptible to the
calculated advances, deception, and manipulation tactics used by traffickers/pimps – no youth is
exempt from falling prey to these tactics.

Shared Hope International

RECRUITMENT
Traffickers actively target potential victims to recruit. The process can
take weeks or months.
THE GOAL = EARN TRUST TO EXPLOIT WEAKNESS
Then they separate the victim from their support network of family and
friends. This leaves no escape.
THE GOAL = COMPLETE CONTROL
The trafficker will create absolute dependence and remove any
possessions. They will create a new identity from their victim, and
manipulate them into believing anything that they want.
 CONTROL
Traffickers will use extreme violence for misbehavior and affection for good behavior.
Violence towards the victim as a result of misbehavior maintains power.

Threats of violence are used against the victim’s loved ones.

Victims are forced to see violence towards others under the control of the pimp.
Traffickers may force drug addictions.

MANIPULATION IS KEY TO CONTROL.

The most important thing is to convince the victim that they are only good for their
body.
 BARRIERS
• Victims fear punishment from their trafficker
• They feel shame for what they’ve done, or are traumatized to the point of
inability to function in normal society.
• Inadequate support for rescued or escaped victims.
• Lack of resources- trafficker keeps all of the money
• Law enforcement lacks the extensive training to identify and help victims
and prosecute the perpetrators.
SIGNS OF TRAFFICKING/YOUTH
• Demonstrates inability to attend school on a regular basis.
• Chronically runs away from home.
• Exhibits bruises or other physical trauma, withdrawn behavior, depression,
or fear, or is hungry, malnourished, or inappropriately dressed for weather.
• Lacks control over schedule or identification documents.
• Shows sign of drug addiction.
• Sudden change in attire, behavior, or material possessions.
• Has a boyfriend of noticeable age differences. Keeps boyfriend a secret.
• Makes references to terminology of commercial sex industry.
 SIGNS OF LABOR
TRAFFICKED/YOUTH
• Has been physically and/or sexually abused by an employer
• Works excessively long and/or unusual hours and is unpaid, paid very little or paid only through
tips.
• Is unable to take breaks or days off or has unusual restrictions at work.
• Owes a large and/or increasing debt and is unable to pay it off.
• Was recruited with false promises concerning the nature and conditions of the work.
• Has been forced by a family member to work inside or outside of the home for long hours
without access to his/her earnings.
• Has unexplained work injuries or signs of untreated illnesses or diseases.
• Has been engaged in door-to-door sales and expresses being abandoned by his/her crew.
• Is working and/or living in a location with high security measures (boarded up or tinted windows,
bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.)
 ACTION
Get educated.
This is only a brief summary of the issue. Use online resources to
educated on the issue.
Talk about the issue.
There is a large lack of awareness on trafficking. Strike up the
conversation about what domestic child sex trafficking looks like in the
community around you.
Organize an event.
Check out our website (www.backyardbroadcast.org) for information on
how to bring awareness and prevention.
WHAT CAN YOUNG
PEOPLE DO?
▪Never use “pimp” in a positive.
▪Lift each other up! A confident young person is less likely to fall
prey to pimps and traffickers.
▪Young people, be kind to one another! No slut shaming! No
body shaming! If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say
anything! Have each other’s backs! Watch out for your friends
AND anyone who needs your help.
START OR JOIN BACKYARD
BROADCAST STATION
•Backyard Broadcast uses a three pronged approach to
fighting trafficking.
•First, Education and Prevention. Get the word out to your
friends and peers regarding this issue.
•Second, Legislation. Helping to write and pass
anti-trafficking laws.
•Third, partnership with local law enforcement.
 KNOW YOUR
RESOURCES
The National Human Trafficking Resource Center is a national, toll-free hotline,
available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24-7, every day of the year.

To report a tip, connect with anti-trafficking services in your area, or to request

training and technical assistance, general information, or specific anti-trafficking
resources call:
1-888-373-7888 or call the Utah Trafficking In Persons (UTIP) hotline number
801-200-3443

Check out The Polaris Project, Backyard Broadcast and Shared Hope International
online to find additional educational resources on trafficking.